While "Bouncing" does have its reasons of usage, it can be ignored with a proper diffuser.
It is here I will state that there are no real market diffusers that work to the needs of real camera enthusiast, so I introduce to you home made types of the action.....
Tupperware, transparent, rounded, can be cut and taped to cover the flash, (yeah, I know it will piss the wife off to sacrifice a good piece of Tupperware, but she will get over it).Depending on the mill (ie: millimeter thickness) will depend on how much diffusion you will do. Less thick will make more flash back, too thick and you really don't light the subject up. A flash is a good thing, if you like the sparkely flashbacks. If you don't, but want excellent lighting, diffusing is the way to go. Experiment with other ways to diffuse the lighting. A trans milk jug will work. Depending on the level of light you wish, one or two layers could work,(cut accordingly of course).
See one of my previous posts for defusing with medical gauze.
I know it don't make much seance to apply some kind of cheap shit by tape to a decent flash, but experimentation and the lack of sparkle from the flash is what every flash user looks for.